Summer time is not my usual choice for being cloistered in my garage working on MGs, I try and drive in the summer, and tinker in the winter. I have been doing some projects on the cars however, luckily the spring and summer have been cool so the garage and driveway work can proceed.
This Magnette is making some progress. I previously reported the leaking oil pressure line, well it got me twice since then. Probably both my own fault. I removed the old lines and joined them in the middle with a brass compression fitting( 3/8" from NAPA), this same system has worked on my other Magnette for four years. While re-installing, I initially hand-tightened the connection to the engine block, then did the compression junction, and finally tightened the fitting to the back of the gauge. Without another thought I reconnected a battery, turned the key on and went under the hood to start the engine. She started right up and the oil pressure went to 60 lbs, flushing the gook out of the lines with carb cleaner improved the gauge reading. Then I noticed the gurgling from my hand tightened line to the block. Joy to frustration in 3 seconds. After tightening that, things seemed joyful again, until I noticed a pinhole spraying oil out of the hard line about 8 inches from the gauge, I must have opened it while wire brushing or while re-fitting the line. So I am back to finding a new solution to the oil pressure line problem.
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| Hard lines, from engine block on bottom; to the gauge on the top. Compression fitting in the middle. |
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| Compression fitting at firewall on my other Magnette. |
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The factory used a rubber hose at the junction of the two
hard lines. Good for 50 years. Note original style hose clamps. |
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This longer rubber hose came off the gauge side of a
1958 ZBV. It appeared to be stock, with old-style
hose clamps. This has a higher VIN number than
the ZB being rebuilt now. |
The seats are back from the upholstery shop, the seams are resewn and things look pretty good. I am going to use Leathertique products to re-vitalize and clean. Then I will consider whether if re-coloring is needed.
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| Driver's seat. |
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| Rear seat bottom. |
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| Rear seat back. |
The heater box and core were cleaned and rebuilt. The original heater valve seemed solid, but a new diaphragm (from Lou Shorten) should prolong leak free life. The heater core had no obvious leaks, the radiator shop will do a pressure test when I get to the radiator. It is amazing how much material flushes from the core. The re-connection of the heater control cables and understanding the settings for heat, demist, etc will be done another day.
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| New paint on the outside will dress this up, never to be seen behind the parcel shelf. |
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| Valve components. |
I have also been sanding and re-finishing the wood for the window surrounds, the door caps, and the walnut veneer for the gauges and glove box. The dash ends still need attention, I have never done the re-veneer work that they will need. The uncomfortable jobs tend to be shunted aside, when there are so many familiar things to do.
